Srivastava’s term will begin on January 1, 2018. He is currently a senior investigator and director of the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (GICD), one of three institutes that make up Gladstone, as well as The Younger Family Director and director of the Roddenberry Stem Cell Center.

He will become Gladstone’s third president since the institution was founded in 1979. The founding president was Robert W. Mahley, MD, PhD, who led Gladstone until 2010.

“I am honored that Gladstone’s trustees have selected me to oversee this premier research institution,” said Srivastava, who is also a professor at UC San Francisco. “I joined Gladstone in 2005 because of its unique ability to leverage diverse basic science approaches through teams of scientists focused on achieving scientific breakthroughs for mankind’s most devastating diseases. I look forward to continue shaping this innovative approach to overcome human disease.”

Srivastava’s laboratory has been a leader in deciphering how embryonic stem cells form a heart, learning how that process is genetically disrupted in heart disease, and leveraging such knowledge to regenerate damaged hearts.

As the new president, Srivastava will strategically guide the institution to foster and enrich innovation, talent, entrepreneurship, and financial strength—all with the goal of revealing the underlying basis for unsolved maladies. Srivastava will also maintain his research laboratory activities at Gladstone during his presidency.

“My fellow trustees—Nicholas J. Simon and William S. Price, III—and I are delighted that Deepak will be leading Gladstone towards its continued success,” said Andrew S. Garb, a trustee of the Gladstone Institutes. “He’s demonstrated great leadership skills and will bring a remarkable set of abilities to his new role. We also wish to sincerely thank Sandy for his exceptional work over the past 7 years, particularly in modernizing Gladstone’s research portfolio and diversifying revenue sources.”

During his tenure as president, Williams led Gladstone through an important period of transition and growth. He helped develop new organizational structures, broaden opportunities for leadership and unique ventures, and explore new financial practices.

He also oversaw the founding of several biotechnology companies, which resulted from the translation of intellectual property assets into the development of novel therapeutics. After the end of his term as president, he will maintain his positions as CEO of the Gladstone Foundation, CEO of BioFulcrum, and board member of Cure Network Ventures, Inc.

“It has been a pleasure and a true privilege to be Gladstone’s president,” said Williams. “I’ve been thrilled by the science conducted here and blessed by daily interactions with so many talented and dedicated individuals. I’m proud of what has happened here during my time in office, but I’m also eager to put a most able and worthy successor in place. I’m confident that Deepak will refresh the vision in ways that will lead to even greater accomplishments.”

Gladstone Institutes is an independent state-of-the-art biomedical research institution that empowers its world-class scientists to find new pathways to cures.